A teenager from Chudleigh, who depicted the charming view from his window by using an unusual technique of applying burn marks to wood, is the winner of the Over 12s category of this year’s Devon CPRE Best Young Landscape Artist competition.
Fifteen-year-old Jay Fennell’s original pyrography made a lasting impression on the judges, Devon CPRE’s Director Penny Mills and Devon landscape artist Kath Hadden.
There were joint runners-up in this category: 17-year-old Rosie Holgate from Honiton with a beautiful mixed media scene inspired by the beautiful Devon hills around her home, and 16-year-old Angelie Pickett from Ugborough - one of last year’s winners - who painted Canada geese on Filham Lake in the South Hams.
The younger category had joint winners: 10-year-old Ava Baxter from Yeoford - highly commended last year - who painted Soar Mill Cove at Bolt Head, and nine-year-old Isla Bedwell from Membury with her mixed media artwork of a sunset seen from her garden.
Bodhi Muizz Waldstadt (10), from Newton St Cyres, was awarded a runner-up prize for an accomplished painting of the coast at Saunton Sands in North Devon.
Jay Fennell was astonished to have won one of the top prizes of £100.
He said: “I was amazed. I can’t believe it. I got a pyrography set for Christmas last year, and this is only about the third picture I’ve created with it.
“I decided to enter the competition after my grandma showed me a newspaper article about it. I thought twice about submitting this piece because it wasn’t a painting but I’m really glad I did now.”
Commenting on the results, Devon CPRE’s Penny Mills said: “This year, it was lovely to receive such a variety of different media.
“All the artwork submitted, showed a deep appreciation of Devon’s wonderful landscapes and countryside. We are very grateful to Kath Hadden once again for helping to choose the winners.”
Painter Kath Hadden, commenting on the work produced by the young artists, said: “Congratulations to Jay. We were immediately drawn to this piece, a fascinating view depicted in a very original way with great skill.
“Rosie’s collage of the Devon hills showed great imagination and creative use of different materials. Well done, Rosie. I particularly liked the detail of the little ladybird at the bottom.
“Angelie Pickett’s is a very accomplished piece showing technical skills beyond her years. Not an easy subject matter but she has done a great job.”
Of the Under 12s, Kath said: “It was very difficult to choose between these two so we had joint winners.
“I loved the looseness of Ava’s depiction of Soar Mill Cove. A tricky composition tackled with confidence and a lovely colour palette. Isla’s view of her garden at sunset is a very peaceful painting, a great use of mixed media. Well done, Isla.”
The winning works are being displayed at the Okehampton Museum of Dartmoor Life until the end of October.